Tayo Busayo
Daily Courier – Tyrell Malacia has become the first signing of Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United reign after the left-back completed a £14.7m move from Feyenoord.
The 22-year-old has signed a four-year contract at Old Trafford, with the option to extend for a further year.
United agreed a package with the Eredivisie side last week worth around an initial £13m, with a further £1.7m in add-ons and a potential sell-on clause.
United accelerated their interest in the Netherlands international in an attempt to beat off competition from French club Lyon.
Malacia is a talent Ten Hag knows well, having heavily scouted him as Ajax head coach. He fits the profile of player the Dutchman wants at Old Trafford and the manager believes he will specifically improve United in transition phases.
Malacia appeals to Ten Hag given his speed, positional awareness, high interception rate, and ability to attack space.
There is credence at Carrington that he has the tools to become an elite full-back and can develop into precisely that under the 52-year-old’s guidance.
Malacia has signed a contract until June 2026, with the option to extend for a further year
The club were measured in pursuing this deal, waiting for Feyenoord to set a price with Lyon first before acting on interest so they were not over-quoted a valuation.
It is a clear strategy also reflected in their move for Arsenal target Lisandro Martinez, who has told Ajax he wants to leave this summer to play in the Premier League.
Malacia shares an agency – HCM Sports Management – with Frenkie de Jong; the club’s premier target this summer. The same agency also represents Donny van de Beek and Victor Lindelof.
Tyrell Malacia has become Manchester United’s first signing this summer.
Speaking about his move to United, Malacia told the club’s official website: “It’s an incredible feeling to have joined Manchester United. This is a new chapter for me, a new league with new team-mates and a tremendous manager [Erik ten Hag] leading us.
“I know from playing against his teams in the Eredivisie, the qualities that he has and what he demands of his players.
“Whilst I know that I am still young and will continue to develop, I can promise the United fans that I will leave everything on the pitch every time I pull on the red shirt. I’ll always be thankful to Feyenoord for all they have given to me and my family.
“None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for them. Now I’m ready to focus on the future with United, and help my new club achieve success.”
Meanwhile, Manchester United football director John Murtough said: “Tyrell is an exciting, dynamic young footballer with excellent experience for his age, including five seasons in the Eredivisie, a European final and full international honours for the Netherlands.
“We look forward to seeing him continue to develop under the guidance of Erik ten Hag and his coaching team in the years ahead.”
What attracted Ten Hag to sign Malacia?
Tyrell Malacia says he has always dreamed of playing in the Premier League after becoming Erik ten Hag’s first signing since becoming Manchester United manager.
Sky Sports News’ senior reporter Melissa Reddy:
“Manchester United fans have waited a while for this first signing of the Erik ten Hag era but the full-back is someone the manager knows very well. He scouted him quite heavily while he was at Ajax and United were quite smart and measured in how they took their time in waiting for Lyon and Feyenoord to agree a fee so they weren’t over-quoted a price.
“Ten Hag feels Malacia will help United’s transitional game as he’s quite a rapid player with positional awareness and is very technically gifted. Malacia is schooled in Total Football so he’s comfortable in possession and solid out of it. United believe he is so far away from his ceiling and that he can really develop under Ten Hag.
“The player himself knows he’s coming to a gigantic club with lots of pressures and expectations but he knows about the manager’s demands.”
Malacia’s signing comes after Cristiano Ronaldo informed the club he wants to leave this summer in order to play Champions League football amid concern from the Portugal forward at United’s lack of transfer activity this summer.
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